"Stop it!"
Xu Bashan's eyes were wide open and his voice was as loud as a bell.
As a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the only third-level bone-forging warrior, his words are always law in Luofeng City.
Although Zhou Zang felt guilty, he had to stop.
Lin Fan, holding a long sword, remained motionless as a mountain, standing in the hall like a sharp sword.
Xu Bashan swept a cold gaze over the few people. "Lin Fan, you and Zhou Xuanyi are both comrades of my Embroidered Uniform Guard. It would be fine if you didn't set a good example, but you actually killed each other. You really... have the guts to do that!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Zang's expression immediately became subtle.
Although Lin Fan has not yet taken office, he has already inherited the position of centurion. Logically speaking, he is at the same rank as Xu Bashan.
But at this moment, Xu Bashan was clearly scolding him in the tone of teaching the younger generation a lesson.
Could it be that the imperial court's punishment has arrived?
really.
Just as Zhou Zang had predicted, Xu Bashan pulled out a brocade scroll from his bosom and shouted, "The Eastern King has decreed this. The guilty man, Lin Fan... kneels and respectfully accepts it."
Just a few words made everyone present change color.
Criminals?!
From this title alone, it can be seen that this is a royal decree to punish.
Moreover, Lin Fan's position as a centurion had obviously been stripped away, otherwise he would have been a criminal minister rather than a criminal citizen.
There is indeed a difference between immortals and mortals.
Lin Fan's act of killing Qingyun Sect's disciples immediately led to punishment from the imperial court.
Zhou Zang sighed secretly.
Zhou Xuanyi's idea of capturing Lin Fan before the imperial court punishes him and sending him to Qingyun Sect to make meritorious deeds is likely to fail.
When dealing with murders related to the hidden immortal sect, the Qianyuan court can only be described as swift and decisive.
Seeing that Lin Fan was still standing there motionless, as if he hadn't heard anything, Xu Bashan suddenly became furious.
"How dare you! Lin Fan, this is the order from the Eastern King, why don't you kneel and accept it?"
The King of the East is the overlord who rules the Eastern Region.
Although the Embroidered Uniform Guards claimed to be the emperor's personal guards, they also had to give face to the royal princes.
Lin Fan's action was truly treasonous.
Clang.
Lin Fan reached into his arms, then flicked his hand and threw a token onto the table.
"My father died in battle at Liangjie Mountain, having slain the barbarians. It's clear that the princes wouldn't kneel. Captain Xu, you should read out the king's decree."
The Eastern Region borders the land of barbarians and is plagued by constant war.
Lin Fan's father died in the Liangjie Mountain during a battle with the barbarians.
Because of this merit, he was able to inherit the position of a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at a young age.
Just a royal decree, and you want him to kneel down to receive it?
Not qualified yet.
Looking at the bronze token, a flash of jealousy flashed across Xu Bashan's eyes.
The meritorious service of killing the barbarians can bring protection to three generations and the hereditary position of a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
This is earned at the cost of real life.
It's a pity that Lin Fan, this reckless and ignorant boy, ruined it himself.
No matter how great the achievements are, they can never outweigh the crime of killing the disciples of the Immortal Sect.
Lin Fan, you are dead this time.
Xu Bashan glared at him coldly, then unrolled the royal decree and respectfully read it out: "Qianyuan Eastern Region Town, the Eastern King's decree states: The criminal Lin Fan has committed treason and murdered his immortal master. He is ordered to have his cultivation abolished and be escorted to the Qingyun Sect for trial."
In the royal decree, there was no mention of Lin Fan's father's meritorious service in killing the barbarians.
This means that the Qianyuan court has completely given up on Lin Fan.
"Oh..."
Lin Fan sneered indifferently.
From the moment he angrily chopped off the white-haired old man that day, he had anticipated this scene.
The court is corrupt.
He was always servile to the Immortal Sect.
It is not surprising at all that he, a mere hereditary centurion, was abandoned.
That's fine.
It can be said that he has completely cut off his thoughts on the court.
My father died fighting for the people of the Eastern Region, not for the Qianyuan court, so it doesn't really make my father feel disappointed.
"Lin Fan, don't you want to accept the order?"
Seeing that Lin Fan remained unmoved, Xu Bashan became extremely angry, and the murderous intent in his eyes could no longer be hidden.
Zhou Zang sneered, stepped forward, and said, "This boy is unruly and tyrannical. I'm afraid he won't confess easily. Lord Xu, please give me another chance. Let me take action and destroy this lunatic who disobeyed your orders."
He who brings trouble upon himself will suffer the consequences.
Lin Fan dared to destroy his son's bone forging, and he will suffer retribution today.
Zhou Zang would not miss this opportunity to settle his personal grudge.
"Lin Fan, are you really refusing to accept the order?"
Xu Bashan pressed forward step by step.
In a sense, disobeying the emperor's order is a more serious crime than killing the disciples of the immortal sect.
Even nine generations of the family can be punished.
Lin Fan said calmly, "Xu Bashan, do you really think you can act with impunity just because you're under the guise of the East King? Have you forgotten about Tongtian Academy?"
"You...are going to apply for Tongtian Academy?"
As soon as the words "Tongtian Academy" came out, Xu Bashan and Zhou Zang both changed color.
When the Qianyuan Dynasty was founded, the founding ruler realized that the immortal sect was suppressing the secular imperial power too much, so he invited peerless masters from the Central Region to build the Tongtian Academy and train talented warriors to fight against the hidden immortal sect.
Unfortunately, the dynasties did not have the same ambition as the founding emperors, and did not pay much attention to Tongtian Academy.
After all, most of the immortal sects are secluded from the world and do not seem to have much interest in the secular imperial power.
Over time, Tongtian Academy gradually became a legendary place.
However, every ten years, a disciple from Tongtian Academy would go out into the world, test his sword skills around the world, and challenge the young geniuses from various hidden immortal sects. The two sides would win and lose alternately, which continued the reputation of Tongtian Academy.
If Lin Fan joined Tongtian Academy, then King Dong would not be qualified to punish Lin Fan.
Zhou Zang couldn't help but sneer, "Tongtian Academy is a legendary place. Only those who have tempered their bodies seven times or more can enter. You might have a sliver of qualification. But now you're blind. Do you still dream of joining?"
One of the important reasons why he dared to bring Zhou Xuanyi to bully Lin Fan was that Lin Fan had dug out his own eyes and was already disabled.
The purpose of tempering the body is to perfect the physical body.
The more times you temper your body, the more perfect it will be.
But Lin Fan lost his eyes and his body was damaged. No matter how he practiced, it would be impossible for him to achieve perfection. This meant that his path to martial arts was cut off.
A waste who is destined to never reach the innate level, yet you still dream of entering Tongtian Academy?
Lin Fan continued indifferently, "Then there's no need for Master Zhou to worry. With my meritorious service in killing the barbarians, I think I'll be qualified to apply for Tongtian Academy. Isn't that right, Captain Xu?"
"…"
Xu Bashan was very upset.
The founding emperor established such a rule in order to reward those who made contributions in fighting against the barbarians.
But now, eight hundred years after the founding of Qianyuan, almost no one would use the merit of killing barbarians in exchange for the qualification to apply for Tongtian Academy.
The reason is simple.
The same merits can be exchanged for the hereditary position of a hundred households in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, or even a hereditary position of a thousand households in the imperial court.
But when he arrived at Tongtian Academy, he could only get the qualification to apply for the exam.
It is easy to imagine which is better.
Unless you are crazy, you won't make such an unwise choice.
Now, Lin Fan was punished by the Eastern King for killing the disciples of the Immortal Sect and was stripped of his hereditary status as a centurion. He could use his merits in killing the barbarians to exchange for the qualification to take the examination of Tongtian Academy, and thus temporarily save his life.
"Lin Fan, there are only a few warriors who can pass the Tongtian Academy's assessment. Moreover, you... I advise you to be sensible and avoid implicating the entire clan."
Lin Fan applied for Tongtian Academy, and the King of the East's decree of punishment became a joke.
Xu Bashan didn't want to leave an impression of incompetence in front of the King of the East.
"Oh, I believe that the sword in my hand can cut open a piece of sky for me."
Lin Fan spoke decisively, his voice full of confidence.
The white clothes are like snow, and the young man is like a sword.
Although his eyes were covered with a black cloth and he was a blind man, the demeanor displayed by Lin Fan shocked Xu Bashan and Zhou Zang.
The young man who was once full of vigor and ambition because of his marriage with the Hong family and tempering his body with martial arts seven times, even though he is now blind and has fallen to the bottom of the valley, he is still the same as before... proud and dignified.